I love the strobing trend. As I've mentioned before, contouring doesn't do much for my bony little face, so for a while now I've been interested in trying its counterpart. Just in case you haven't heard about it, although I'm sure most people have by now, strobing is all about illuminating the high points of your face, as opposed to creating structure and shadows, as you do with contouring. It's basically highlighting on steroids! I think it gives a lovely, flattering glow to the skin, but I've never really been sure how to create the look - that is until I discovered a couple of products from Collection that made the whole thing a lot easier, especially for a beginner like me.
I was colour matched for Collection's Illuminating Touch Foundation at the Pegasus Beauty event back in September, but it's only recently that I've got around to fishing out the sample I was so kindly gifted and giving it a try. (It really is the goodie bag that keeps on giving!)
The Illuminating Touch Foundation is "infused with a blend of skincare actives" and designed to give "natural luminosity" to the skin, which it definitely does. Even worn alone, this has a luminous glow to it. It's quite full in terms of coverage, which is good news in my book, and all in all I really like it - this could definitely rival my current favourite drugstore foundation, Revlon ColorStay, for the top spot in my affections! I was matched to the shade 2 Ivory, and for reference, my skin is pale bordering on medium.
As well as the foundation, I also received a little instruction card, with a step by step guide explaining how to use it together with Collection Speedy Highlighter to create a strobing effect.
So I bought a Speedy Highlighter. Obvs.
This is another very impressive little product. I got shade 01 Pearl Sheen and it's a cream highlight which you can just swipe across your face, like Benefit Watt's Up. It's a light gold, champagne sort of colour.
The instructions to create the strobing effect are actually pretty simple:
- Apply the Speedy Highlighter to the areas of your face you want to highlight. (So, tops of cheekbones, brow bone, bridge of nose, chin and cupid's bow.)
- Apply Illuminating Touch Foundation as normal, over the top.
- Repeat step one, over the top of the foundation.
- Blend.
Perhaps not to everyone's taste - my husband asked me if I was supposed to look like I'd just been out in the rain - and probably not suitable for day to day wear, but for a night out, I love the effect, and I'll definitely be rocking it over the festive period. Plus, I kind of think it makes my cheeks look fuller - a massive bonus in my book!
Well done to Collection, a brand I used to pretty much dismiss with the exception of the Lasting Perfection concealer. The more I discover of their products, the higher up my drugstore list they soar. And so reasonably priced too!
While we're on the subject of makeup looks, my first post for magazine.co.uk went live yesterday. It's a wintry berry lip look inspired by Grazia. If you're interested in seeing what I came up with, you can check it out here, and maybe even give it a cheeky like if you're feeling generous!
What are your thoughts on strobing, and are you a fan of Collection?
Kate x
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With Christmas party season getting underway, there is no better time to indulge in a bit of bling. I'm the sort of girl who will take any opportunity to dress up, so this is definitely one of my favourite things about this time of year. As well as the dresses and full on makeup, it's the perfect excuse to bring out the statement necklaces and chandelier earrings... and the cocktail rings, like this one I was lucky enough to be sent by Gemporia recently.
You don't tend to see that many cocktail rings around these days. It's more about wearing a selection of delicate rings. As much as I love this trend, I still think there's nothing nicer at a party than sparkly nails and a statement ring, especially when you're holding a glass of something and your hand is on display. (And if you're not holding a glass of something, you're at the wrong party!)
Although I had heard of Gemporia before they contacted me, it wasn't a
brand I knew much about. I spent a long time browsing their site and was
amazed by how many beautiful designs they had, and the prices are
fantastic considering the quality of the materials used. My ring is
sterling silver with a morganite stone - a beautiful, milky, cloudy pink
- and retails for £44. It's quite a simple design as cocktail rings go,
with the emphasis being on the large, square stone. They sized it for
me before sending it out and it arrived well packaged and protected and
with a nice little cloth pouch to keep it in. It feels solid and well
made (though it's not at all heavy to wear) and all in all I'm thrilled
with it.
Light pink isn't perhaps the most obvious colour to go for at this time of year, but as soon as I saw it on the website I could see the whole look in my head, (or at least my hand wrapped around that champagne glass!) and I imagined sparkly silver nail varnish looking perfect with the ring. A sort of "frosty" look - still festive, but a bit of a change from the usual rich tones of burgundy and gold. All I need now is the dress to go with it!
For the nail varnish, I used Ciate Fit For A Queen (a shimmery silver) as a base, and swiped a couple of coats of Ciate Locket (silver glitter) over the top. Someone with longer nails/more skills than me might choose to just coat the tips in glitter, which I think would look very cool too.
Finally, one of the best things about Gemporia is their ethos. They believe that jewellery should be special, not mass produced, and use only genuine gemstones and precious metals to create their pieces. They also work with The Colourful Life Foundation to give back to the developing communities from which their gems are sourced. Such a nice thing to hear from a jewellery brand! You can read more about it here.
What are your thoughts on cocktail rings? What will you be wearing to festive parties this year?
Last Thursday I attended the Avene 30 Plus event in London. It was organised by skincare brand Avene (which I'm loving more and more by the day) and Hayley Carr, creator of the 30 Plus Blog Collective, (which you should totally join if you're a 30 plus blogger and haven't already.)
Unlike other events I've been to, this one took the form of a panel discussion on the subject of attitudes towards ageing in the beauty industry. This is something that fascinates me, so I was really interested to hear what other people had to say on the subject. But first, champagne! (Not to mention delicious finger food.)
(Thanks to Claire from Country Mouse Claire for taking this photo of me, and for being so much fun to chat to on the night! In case anyone is wondering, my dress is from Topshop, but I can't find it on the website.)
After half an hour or so of making new acquaintances, eating, drinking and taking photos, all at the same time (quite a challenge for a klutz like me), it was time to take our seats for the discussion. Like the true rebel I am, I gravitated to a seat right at the back, which was basically the worst place I could possibly have chosen for taking photographs. #bloggerfail.
First up, Avene briefly introduced their new PhysioLift range, targeted at ageing skin, and then the discussion began. The panel consisted of blogger Jane Cunningham, cosmetic dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting and psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos, with contributions from the floor. This was a room full of intelligent, articulate women, and the conversation sparkled. The following are some of the main points that stuck in my mind:
- Why are anti-ageing products so often presented in a way that suggests ageing is a flaw that needs to be corrected, rather than a natural process that happens to us all?
- Why can men with grey hair and wrinkles be considered "ruggedly handsome", while women are told they cannot be beautiful unless they cover these things up? (With the exception of very fashionable grey hair on 18-25 year olds!)
- Why do marketers and companies try to sell women vacuum cleaners as soon as they turn thirty, and stair lifts as soon as they turn fifty? We don't appreciate being put in boxes, and we still like heels and lipstick, thanks very much.
- Do older women feel invisible due to lack of representation in advertising and the media?
All this was fascinating food for thought. I must admit, when I first heard about this event, part of me thought, "that sounds brilliant", and part of me thought, "I feel too young to go to this". The fact that I felt this way illustrates exactly why I needed to be there. Talking to my Mum and Aunty about it afterwards, they both said the same thing to me - "but you're only in your thirties! You don't need to use anti-ageing skincare yet!" I was astonished by this. As young as I still feel, like pretty much every girl I know of my own generation, I've been applying eye creams, serums and firming creams since I hit 25. Why? Because brands/magazines/peers/society tells me I need it! I've been degenerating now for 12 years! People in the street probably recoil in horror as I walk past!
I'm joking, mostly. I do think there is pressure on women to start using anti-ageing skincare at a certain point in their lives, but I use it because it's a proven fact that over time my skin is going to lose hydration and firmness, and I want products that will help to counteract those things, or at least help to lessen their effects. It's not really about looking younger, but I do want to look my best. I have always felt at my happiest and most confident when I make an effort with the way I look. It's something I love, pure and simple. Why else would I have started a fashion and beauty blog?
I've spoken before about ageing on this blog, so just to reiterate, being in my thirties feels pretty damn good. Not just because I've grown in confidence and had chance to rack up some great experiences and achievements, but I genuinely feel I look better now than I ever did in my twenties. (Ugh, that sounds so arrogant, but I really want to get this point across!) For me, my thirties have brought experience, new skills, and the confidence to wear clothes I shied away from in my twenties. As for that "decline" I'm supposed to have been suffering since the age of twenty-five, I haven't noticed it so much, to be honest. A few grey hairs and a couple of fine lines, sure, but I haven't turned into a wizened old hag just yet. (This may or may not have something to do with all the anti-ageing products. Who really knows?!)
Now, I'm aware that I've always been a bit of a late developer. Everyone's experience is different, and maybe other people my age feel differently about being in their thirties. But I spoke to a few girls on the night who felt exactly the same as I do, and it annoys me that just as I feel like I'm hitting my peak (again, ugh, but you know what I'm getting at), I see fewer and fewer women my age and older being represented in advertising and the media. Helen Mirren in the L'Oreal ad is a glorious exception, but on the other hand, if I see one more movie with a fifty year old guy dating a twenty year old girl I will run out of the cinema screaming! And it breaks my heart when I see gorgeous young bloggers bemoaning how old they are... in their mid-twenties. I thought we were all living longer and looking younger than ever before. What happened to thirty being the new twenty, and all the rest of it?
I've spoken before about ageing on this blog, so just to reiterate, being in my thirties feels pretty damn good. Not just because I've grown in confidence and had chance to rack up some great experiences and achievements, but I genuinely feel I look better now than I ever did in my twenties. (Ugh, that sounds so arrogant, but I really want to get this point across!) For me, my thirties have brought experience, new skills, and the confidence to wear clothes I shied away from in my twenties. As for that "decline" I'm supposed to have been suffering since the age of twenty-five, I haven't noticed it so much, to be honest. A few grey hairs and a couple of fine lines, sure, but I haven't turned into a wizened old hag just yet. (This may or may not have something to do with all the anti-ageing products. Who really knows?!)
Now, I'm aware that I've always been a bit of a late developer. Everyone's experience is different, and maybe other people my age feel differently about being in their thirties. But I spoke to a few girls on the night who felt exactly the same as I do, and it annoys me that just as I feel like I'm hitting my peak (again, ugh, but you know what I'm getting at), I see fewer and fewer women my age and older being represented in advertising and the media. Helen Mirren in the L'Oreal ad is a glorious exception, but on the other hand, if I see one more movie with a fifty year old guy dating a twenty year old girl I will run out of the cinema screaming! And it breaks my heart when I see gorgeous young bloggers bemoaning how old they are... in their mid-twenties. I thought we were all living longer and looking younger than ever before. What happened to thirty being the new twenty, and all the rest of it?
When it comes to the beauty industry, I must confess, I've never been particularly offended by the concept of anti-ageing skincare. I'm very glad it exists and I actually see making the choice to use it as quite an empowering thing. But I do agree that offering those products in a more positive way, focusing on the health of our skin rather than fighting a hopeless battle against the passing of time, would be a very good thing. Personally, I can't wait to try out Avene's new PhysioLift range, and I'll definitely be sharing my thoughts on it here on the blog once I've had chance to form an opinion.
I could go on forever about this subject, but this post is already long enough, so over to you. I know women of all different ages read this blog, so what are your feelings about ageing? What sort of changes would you like to see in branding, advertising and the media in general? I want to know all your opinions!
Kate x
I've loved The Body Shop for a long time. To this day I've yet to find a product that makes my skin feel as good as their famous body butters do, and I'm always intrigued by their new launches. In recent years I think they've gone from strength to strength, and my list of new things I want to try from them - the Vitamin C skincare, the Spa of the World range - only seems to get longer. So when I got the chance to review one of their Christmas gift sets, I jumped at it. I was sent the Frosted Plum Feel Good Tin, which is part of The Body Shop's #FeelSoGood Christmas gift campaign. As the name suggests, it comes in this very cute plum shaped tin, which I think would be so much fun to unwrap on Christmas morning.
You open up the tin to find four very cute mini products inside - a shower gel, body butter, sugar scrub and shimmer lotion, all in the frosted plum fragrance. The smell is sweet, fruity and good enough to eat (although you probably shouldn't!) I usually favour floral or woody fragrances, but I love this. It basically makes you smell like the Sugar Plum Fairy, and what girl doesn't want that? Especially at Christmas!
The shower gel is very light, foams up nicely and of course leaves you smelling divine. I normally prefer a shower cream as I feel they're more nourishing for my skin, but when you have a rich body butter to put on afterwards, it doesn't really matter as much.
The stars of the show for me are definitely the sugar scrub and body butter. Both feel wonderful to use and have the same amazing scent, and it's these kind of products that I feel The Body Shop just excels at. The combination of the two leaves my skin feeling silky smooth and deeply moisturised. The body butter in particular is so rich and nourishing. I've said it before and I'll say it again - nothing makes my skin feel as soft as these products do!
In addition to these three staple products, you also get the frosted plum shimmer lotion. Perfect for Christmas parties, this has a subtle, silvery sheen to it when you rub it in, which gives a lovely healthy glow to the skin. You can kinda sorta see the effect on my hand in the second photo below, but it comes into its own when you're moving about and catching the light. As I said, lovely to add a little "somethin somethin" to bare arms, legs or shoulders at a festive event.
This is a really nice gift set, prettily packaged. Because of the sweet fragrance and cute tin, I'd say it would be the perfect present for a teenage girl, but I also think that anyone who enjoys The Body Shop or body products in general would love to receive it.
Will you be giving any Body Shop gift sets this year? And are you hoping to receive one?
Kate x
I have dedicated this post to the year of the miniskirt. Because I'm
wearing one. And because I was feeling the sixties vibe like you
wouldn't believe when Mike and I went out to take these photos. The
seventies is like, so four blog posts ago.
Preparing for this post was an excellent lesson for me in shopping my stash - something I'm not very good at. It all centred around a pair of boots I was sent from Online Avenue. My vision for them was a short, flouncy floral dress and a faux fur gilet - a look I'd seen all over the place before I got the boots and an outfit I wanted to acquire anyway. But when it came to it, I just couldn't seem to find quite the right thing anywhere. I was stuck, as I couldn't see any other way to style the boots. So I went home, got everything out of my wardrobe (much to Mike's delight), and went back to the drawing board.
What I eventually came up with is totally different, but I love the look.
The skirt and coat are both pieces I've had in my wardrobe for a while. I've had plenty of wear out of both of them, but this is the first time it's ever occurred to me to put the two together. The polo neck is new, from Topshop, and I'm in love with it. It's a little bit on the short side, so probably best paired with higher waisted items. It's ribbed, lovely and fitted without being too skin tight, and a good thickness, so it keeps you nice and warm. I adore the stripes, and definitely want some more like this, but I do wish Topshop would make this exact one in a plain black too.
Worn all together with the cream knee-high boots, I felt like I'd stepped right out of the sixties, so I opted for some black eyeliner, light pink lip gloss and a little bit of back combing to compliment the look.
Would you believe the Beatles were playing on the car radio as Mike and I set off looking for a shooting location? We ended up at Cusworth Hall, a Georgian country house just outside Doncaster. Not only is it a lovely spot in its own right, but I loved the sprawling view of the town from the grounds. The high rises totally fitted in with the whole sixties theme!
I couldn't be happier with the boots. I love knee high and over the knee styles, but it can be hard to find a good fit unless your foot size and calf size are perfectly in proportion with one another. Mine aren't. These boots are sturdy and structured around the foot, but the leg part is soft and supple, and they fit like a glove. They're comfortable, easy to walk in, and very chic, with cool gold detailing on the heel. I'd never heard of Online Avenue before, but they're certainly on my radar now. Their prices are incredibly reasonable and I've already spotted some more styles I like. These fringed ones for example!
What are your thoughts on knee high boots? Do you wear them, and if so, how do you style them?
Kate x
I'm the first to admit that I find skincare a bit of a minefield. There's about fifty million brands, and products galore for dry skin, acne-prone skin, sensitive skin, aging skin, congested skin... but what if you're all of the above? My skin definitely doesn't sit neatly in one category that's easy for me to look after with a specific set of products. It fluctuates between a whole host of issues, all of which seem to require certain things from skincare that are really bad for the other issues. Ugh.
Lately, I've been experiencing a bit of an acne breakout - something I suffer from randomly from time to time - and I decided that there was no point in overthinking things. The breakout is my main issue right now, so I kept it simple and just looked for products that will combat that issue. And as it turns out, I've stumbled across two little gems that target the acne without destroying the moisture in my skin. Result! The products in question are the Witch Naturally Clear Gentle Exfoliating Face Wash and the Avene Cleanance Expert Emulsion.
The Witch face wash was part of the goodie bag I received at the Pegasus Beauty Showcase
back in September (and something, at the time, I didn't think I would use), and the Avene product was sent to me just a few
weeks ago by the same PR company. I have to say that this is the perfect
example of how blogging opens your eyes to new brands, because I don't
think I would have gravitated towards either product had I not been
introduced to them through Pegasus.
One of my biggest bugbears with my skin is that it's often congested but it's also sensitive. How to clear it up without aggravating it and making it all red and dry? Normally I would have been too nervous to try a product like this, with exfoliating granules in it, especially as a daily cleanser, but having spoken to the Witch team at the Pegasus event, I knew that this was a gentle formula, designed to unclog pores without drying out the skin. I've been using it for almost a month now and it does a fantastic job of deeply cleansing my skin, without giving me any dryness or issues with sensitivity whatsoever. The blurb on the back does recommend caution with sensitive skin, so now that my complexion is clearer I will probably switch to something with a creamier formula, and keep this in reserve for the next time it's needed.
The Avene Cleanance Expert emulsion won the "Best New Skincare
Treatment" in the Pure Beauty Awards 2015. It's unique in the sense that
it's a moisturiser which actually contains acne fighting ingredients,
and this got me interested straight away. It's a lovely, mid-weight sort of cream with a light, fresh scent. It feels very pleasant to use. It's definitely effective at moisturising my skin, but it also gently
exfoliates, mattifies, regulates sebum production and reduces redness
and inflammation. My complexion feels perfectly balanced once I've used this after the Witch face wash. Not greasy, but definitely not dry either. It's a lovely product and it's great to know that I can keep my skin hydrated and fight that nasty acne bacteria at the same time.
This little wonder in a tube was formulated by Avene after they surveyed women suffering from adult acne. They discovered that a lot of women are reluctant to use acne targeted skincare because they are afraid it will strip their skin and be too harsh for daily use. That's definitely something that's always worried me. Especially since, once over the age of 25, we all need to be careful to make sure that our skin gets enough moisture. Thanks to Avene, I've been able to battle the breakout without feeling like I'm sacrificing the quality of my skin. Brilliant!
There's no miracle cure for acne breakouts, and there are times when medication is the only answer. However, they can be kept under control with the right products, and I'd definitely recommend both of these. Anyone who's suffered with breakouts will understand when I talk about that dreaded tell tale feeling that something hideous is about to erupt on your face. Well, once I had been using these products for a week or so, those hideous somethings started to reduce before the eruption happened. I honestly didn't think that skincare alone could do that, but I've been really impressed. For now, the little episode seems to be over, but I will definitely be keeping these in my stash for the next time they're needed.
Have you tried either of these products?
Kate x
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